Memories
by jazzmeister
Summary: Super Robot Wars W-Set after Chapter 29 Warning: Spoilers After Kazuma returns to the Valstork, Shihomi confronts him and ends up talking about the loss of both of their parents.


Summary: Super Robot Wars W-Set after Chapter 29 (Warning: Spoilers)After Kazuma returns to the Valstork, Shihomi confronts him and ends up talking about the loss of both of their parents.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here except maybe Ken Ixis. Banpresto owns the characters.

This is set after Kazuma came back to the Valstork, Chapter 29.

I'm not really sure about the event on how Blessfield died except knowing that he protected Kazuma during a battle so I couldn't write it properly.

* * *

Valstork, the blue and white flagship of the Ardygun Trailer family, wanders around the solar system, looking for any jobs that need their services. Trailers are people hire for transporting goods and doing odd jobs.

The members of the ship were either resting or checking on the ship and its only resident mech, the Valhawk. Though time cannot be distinguished in space, a clock based on Earth GMT-5, it was 10pm. Everything in the Valstork has been fine ever since the main pilot of the Valhawk, Kazuma Ardygun, has returned from being MIA for months.

Kazuma was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His legs were spread apart, one arm and both legs were dangling on the side of the bed and the other was draped over his face.

There wasn't much in his room; bland white walls, a bed, a desk with a computer terminal, a closet, a bookshelf, a door to his own bathroom and a shelf with robot and ship models. Kazuma noticed everything was neat and tidy.

'Shihomi, Akane and Mihiro must have taken care of cleaning while I was gone.' Kazuma thought.

Unlike before, Kazuma liked the silence. The young pilot just laid there listening to the low hum coming from the ship's thrusters. He was thankful for his sisters and their companion Horis for not asking questions right away.

Minutes later, the silence was broken by a chime that came from the door which signified someone wanting permission to enter. Kazuma propped himself up with his elbows and stared at the door. "Come in." he said.

The door opens and it reveals Kazuma's eldest sister and current captain of the Valstork, Shihomi Ardygun, holding a tray with some food. "Hello Kazuma." Shihomi said softly as she came into the room.

"Oh… Shihomi, what is it?" Said Kazuma. His face not showing any emotion.

"Well I wanted to check up on you. I saw you weren't asleep yet so I thought to bring you something to eat." The ship captain raised the ray a bit higher to make her point.

"… Thanks."

Shihomi walked towards Kazuma's desk and put down the tray. She then turned to Kazuma who was now lying on his back, facing the ceiling. "It's good to have you back, little brother."

Kazuma just nodded at the statement.

The older pilot sat next to her brother and was staring at him. "What's wrong, Kazuma?" Shihomi started, concern is evident in her voice. "It's not like you to stay silent like this."

"I just have a lot of things in my mind." Kazuma said dryly. "A lot has changed… Over the year…" Shihomi just nodded. Then Kazuma rolled to the side so that his back was facing Shihomi. "And it's all… My fault…"

"Kazuma…"

"It's all my fault… If I was only more careful… Dad would still be…" Kazuma's voiced starts to crack. He released sobs from time to time and Shihomi can clearly see some tears running on Kazuma's face. "Dad would still be..."

"Oh Kazuma..." Shihomi placed her hand on her brother's shoulder and gripped it softly.

"First it was mom… Now, dad too..." Kazuma then pulled his legs up and embraced them against his chest. He tried to hide his face but couldn't. He paused for a minute to try to get his composure but like his earlier attempt to hide, he's failing.

The young pilot then looked at his sister from the corner of his eyes which were glistening with fresh tears. "What if I screw up again?" He then hides his face again. "What if… What if Mihiro dies because of my bad piloting skills?!"

"Stop that, Kazuma!" Shihomi shouted. Kazuma looked at Shihomi and saw her looking sad for once, her eyes were forming tears as well. Never has the Valhawk pilot seen his eldest sister so sad. Normally, it was Shihomi who looked at the brighter side of things and always has a solemn smile to cheer everyone up. "Don't think about any of us being in that position…" Shihomi continued.

Kazuma rose up and kneeled on his bed, looking at Shihomi. "But-."

Kazuma was cut off by his sister's hand being gently placed on his head and stroking his long brown hair. Shihomi smiled at him, despite her eyes having tears. "Kazuma…" Shihomi started. "Everyone makes mistakes; nobody's perfect. If you make a mistake, we'll be here to help make things right."

Kazuma quickly shook his head to get his sister's hand off but she stubbornly keeps her hand on top of his head. Kazuma just settled on looking to the floor. The Valstork captain took this opportunity to continue. "Although… If you were in any danger… None of us will hesitate to sacrifice ourselves to protect you."

"Please don't." Kazuma's voice starting to crack once more. He hides his eyes using his bangs as cover. "Please don't say things like that. You said not to-."

"I know, I know but… I just wanted to show you how much we care about you." Kazuma didn't even look up. "That's what families do."

"B-But I…" Kazuma lowered his head even more; his hands clutched the sheets of his bed. "I don't want any of you dying for my sake!"

The elder pilot took her hand back then closed her eyes to think. Sensing Shihomi's hand was taken off his head; he looked at Shihomi and cocked his head to the side, wondering what his sister is thinking about. "… Kazuma let me ask you this…" Shihomi opened her eyes and looked towards Kazuma. "If you were in dad's position and one of us was in yours or if Mihiro was out there alone during that one fight, what would you have done?"

"I… I…" Kazuma stopped to think then quickly swipe his arm across his eyes to get the tears off. "I would have stepped in front of that attack to protect you guys… Even if it costs me my life!" Just then, Kazuma was shocked at what he just said. "Just like what dad did."

Shihomi smiled. "See? Even you thought about it." She then shifted so she was sitting up straight and staring towards the ceiling. "Family sticks by each other at all times; through the good and bad times…. And…" Shihomi then faced Kazuma once more with a soft smile. "If one is in trouble, they try their best to help and protect him with whatever means necessary."

"….."

The Valstork captain to Kazuma's desk where a portrait of their family was standing. The portrait contained the four siblings, the former Valstork navigator and close family friend, Ken Ixis, their father, Blessfield Ardygun, and their mother, Yuumi Ardygun. "Dad was only thinking about our safety and our futures. Every parent does… They would give anything for the happiness and the well-being of their children."

Shihomi felt Kazuma shift and saw that Kazuma lay down; his head was on her lap. Shihomi looked down then started to stroke her brother's hair. "All of us miss dad. It's hard to take in but that's the truth. We can't do anything about it. We can only move on and live our lives happily…. That's what dad would have wanted."

"Yeah… I understand." Kazuma said softly.

Shihomi then moved Kazuma; rolling him so the younger pilot was looking at her face. She then moved the bangs covering Kazuma's face then put her hand over his chest. Both of them distinctly remember being in this situation before when Kazuma was depressed. "Hey, do you remember what dad said to us when mom died?"

Flashback-Earth-10 years ago

Yuumi Ardygun died exactly one year ago. She died during a trap created by a space pirate who was faking an SOS. The image of the Trailers was hit as well by that event. Blessfield decided to let his wife's body to rest in the planet she grew up in.

Shihomi and Akane both grieved from the loss of their mother. Even Mihiro, being a baby, felt the heaviness of the atmosphere. She cried silently so not to cause even more distraught. Kazuma, however, took Yuumi's death the hardest. Ken Ixis, a young man in his 20s with black spiky and was the current navigator for the Valstork, was also there to give his condolence. He was silent and had constant nightmares ever since their mother died.

The Ardyguns and Ken stayed in Earth for the death anniversary of Yuumi. They had a cabin in somewhere in north forests of Oregon, USA. Everyone has moved on from the loss except for Kazuma.

"Guys, it's time to eat!" an 11 year old Akane hollered from the front door of the cabin. Shihomi, currently 13, was in the living room, playing with Mihiro, age one. Ken was in the kitchen finishing up on cooking lunch and setting up the table.

Blessfield, aka the Legendary Trailer or Hawk's Eye, the 36 year old captain of the Valstork, was currently making some maintenance on their ship when Akane called. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute!" Belssfield hollered back. Blessfield entered the cabin a minute later and saw that everyone was by the table except for one person. "Where's Kazuma?"

"We couldn't find him." Said Shihomi. "We looked around the house and he wasn't in any of the rooms."

The Ardygun family head lifted up his hand to scratch his nose bridged signaling he was stressed. He understood why Kazuma was acting as such but he can't understand why he hasn't moved on like his sisters. "I'll look for him." Blessfield sighed.

"Want me to help chief?" Ken said as he stood up.

"No, I'll be fine alone. Look after the girls while I'm gone."

"Roger that."

Blessfield heads to the forest and started to shout for his son to respond. Every time he called his son's name, silence answered back. The captain was getting more and more worried as minutes passed and he still hasn't Kazuma. He is worried the boy had been taken or committed suicide.

After more minutes have passed, Blessfield spots Kazuma. The boy, age seven, was sitting by the cliff that was not too far from their cabin, over looking the forest below. He was holding his knees up to his chest while his head was resting on top of his knees. Blessfield approached the boy slowly so as not to agitate his son. "Kazuma?"

Kazuma looked behind him and went back to staring to the horizon after seeing his father. "Oh… Hi dad…"

"Hey… Come on. We're going to have lunch now."

"I want to stay here for a while please."

Blessfield sighed once more. Kazuma was in one of his depression stages that is hard to get him out of. Blessfield settled on sitting next to Kazuma and stared to the horizon as well. They stayed like that for minutes before the boy broke it…

"I hate the space pirates…" Blessfield looked towards his son with worried eyes. It was the first time the Valstork captain heard his son to say such a thing but looking deep inside, he also felt it. "Why did mom have to die?"

"Kazuma…" Blessfield started. "I know losing someone you love is very painful but we have to move on from it." Blessfield looked towards the horizon. "Everything in the world will eventually die. It's a fate we can't escape… But…" He then looked towards Kazuma with a soft smile. "As long as we have memories of those who and what we lost… As long as we don't forget them… They will never disappear."

Kazuma didn't even move or give a sign that he heard what his father said. Just then Blessfield thought of something. He reached in to the bag he took when he left the house. He took out a book with a maroon covering. "Here." Blessfield held it out to Kazuma took.

Kazuma looked through the pages and… "It's blank."

"Of course it's blank" Blessfield chuckled. "It's a journal. I want you to write as much events that has happened to you as possible. Our memories are one of the most important things in us so treasure them. One day, when you have a family of your own, you can tell your adventures to your children. As long as that journal is whole and your stories are in the hearts and minds of others. You will be able to live on forever."

Kazuma stared at the journal for a while then clutched it tight to his body and smiled up to his father. "Okay, I will. Thanks dad." Kazuma then hugged Blessfield who returned the embrace.

Just then they heard a twig snapped behind them and saw Akane, Shihomi, Ken and Mihiro watching them, big smiles were all around. All of them walked back home and all of them noticed that Kazuma was now smiling.

End of Flashback

"You see Kazuma?" Shihomi asked

"Yeah…" Kazuma sat up them hugged his sister like he did with his father 10 years ago. "Thanks, big sis."

"It's nothing. Now how about eating up?"

"Yeah, I'm starving" Kazuma chirped.

Kazuma ate happily while Shihomi watched. Kazuma offered her food every once in a while and Shihomi accepted it. After eating Kazuma lay back down on his bed.

Shihomi stood up and took the tray. "Well I'll leave you to get some rest okay?" Shihomi said.

"Sure."

"If you need anything, anything at all, you can call me, Akane or Mihiro."

"Got it."

Shihomi chuckled at how fast Kazuma recovered. She then shut off the lights and walks out, saying a goodnight, which Kazuma returned.

Kazuma stared at the ceiling for a while before he looked towards his desk where their family picture was on. Right next to the picture were a few books and one of them was the journal Blessfield gave him. Kazuma walked over to the desk and sat on the chair. He turned on the desk lamp and opened the journal to a blank page. He takes up a pen then touch the point to the paper.

_Dear Journal…_

* * *

Sorry I had to re-edit the story since the original copy had the last part all bundled up.

Please read and review.


End file.
